Anonymous asked: clivia growth habit
A clivia plant is generally considered to be mature, and old enough to bloom, when it has produced 12 to 14 leaves.
Mature Clivia plants grow leaves in sets of four, followed by the start of an inflorescence (flowering structure). If the plant is kept warm, kept carefully watered, and fed from time to time, it will continue this cycle indefinitely, without ever flowering. The small flower buds produced after every fourth leaf can stay small and latent (inactive) forever. Eventually, the older latent inflorescences will disappear if the plant is not induced to flower.
To induce a mature clivia plant to flower, the growth cycle must be interrupted. It is usually advisable to stop watering the plant at this time. The plant must be exposed to cool temperatures for the equivalent of about 25 to 30 days and nights. The temperatures should be kept between 55°F (13°C) and 34°F (1°C) during this period.
When you deem that the plant has had sufficient cooling, it will be time to increase the temperatures to the range 65°F (18°C) to 75°F (24°C). Then watering can be resumed, cautiously at first. Excess water on the roots before the plant starts into active growth again can cause rot.
